sting operaton

[davemarc]

Paul forwards this "exceedingly good advice" of a friend:
> 
> Caution, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when I consider
> the raw math of an 11 year old joining your p-list. It goes like this ...
> 
> FBI agent = "11" year old kid
> Kid prompts adults for sexual related sites and/or comments
> Adults = suckers
> 
> child porno charges against adults = kid + p-list + sex
> 
> Neat math, wouldn't you say. I'd back away from this thing if I were
> you.
> 
This is exactly what can be so oppressive about censorship:  People end up
so fearful of persecution that even the most innocuous exchanges can be
laced with terror and even "prophylactically" stifled.  That kid/FBI agent
was looking for writing advice.  I was apparently not alone in encouraging
that kid/FBI agent to keep on looking, suggesting some newsgroups and other
strategies that might yield the desired result.  I'd be ashamed of myself
if fear had kept me from trying to help out.  And, for the record, I'll add
that I'd feel the same way if the kid/FBI agent were looking for
information about such "taboo" subjects as homosexuality or pederasty.  

Slipping into a Vineland state o' mind,

davemarc